Gone
by Nyxaerr
Summary: A stranger steals away the other half of Ichigo that he doesn't want to admit he cares for.


Ichigo screamed.

He pulled desperately at the restraints securing him tightly to the base of the pillar. He could feel the strange cuffs draining his reiatsu, weakening him. Pooling together his remaining reiatsu he let it burst forward in an attempt to destroy the cuffs. After a few moments of intense pressure the cuffs held fast, sucking everything he threw at them. Running out of reiatsu he returned to twisting and pulling. He could feel the tender skin around his wrists tearing and bleeding as he struggled. The blood slicked the restraints and allowed him a little more movement, but the cuffs remained stoically in place.

Footsteps echoed along the dark hallway. A sinister shadow fell over Ichigo's exhausted form. Hearing the footsteps draw nearer he raised his head and glared at his kidnapper. Whatever torture they could dole out he could take, but he wouldn't grant them his pride. An amused chuckle echoed balefully around him. Refusing to dignify the stranger with a response he continued to stare into the darkness at the faceless man. A moment of silence passed between captive and captor, each sizing up the other. The shadow raised a long, pale hand toward Ichigo, the man then extended his fingers to reveal an intricate pattern starting in his palm and flowing along his forearm. The pattern was not like a tattoo, it moved and pulsed underneath the man's arm. Shifting and swirling the markings almost seemed to want to break through the pale skin as they pushed against their barrier. The man stepped into the small ring of light around Ichigo as his restraints tightened. His cuffs and collar suddenly gripped him and pulled him back against the pillar he was secured to, stopping him from moving completely. Wincing at the sudden touch on his raw skin he turned back to the mysterious man.

The entire left side of the man's face was hidden behind a veil of starlight white hair which continued in a tight ponytail at the nape of his neck. The right side of his face was decorated with a gothic cross which ran from his hairline to his jaw, with the horizontal bar of the cross running in line with his eyes. Gold eyes glinted coldly as he stared down at his captive, his pale arm still outstretched. He was dressed in a long, flowing black robe that covered his feet and disappeared into the darkness behind him. The material seemed to constantly be moving on an invisible breeze, flowing around his body.

Ichigo struggled in vain against his restraints, fear flashing in his eyes at the thought of what this man wanted to do to him. Without hesitation the man continued forward and placed his open palm against Ichigo's forehead. A moment of silence passed before a flash of blinding light engulfed the pair. Ichigo screwed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw to fight from screaming. The light radiating from his forehead was burning into him. He could feel the light going into him, travelling through him like molten lava through his veins. His body convulsed violently against the restraints pulling, and yanking against them. Reality faded around him as the molten light blazed under his skin. His consciousness was being pulled away from his dark, cold prison. He reached out weakly trying half-heartedly to keep his grasp on reality. As his grip on consiousness faded he found himself flung roughly onto the pristine glass windows of his inner world. His world swirled around his eyes in a flash of glass and endless sky for a moment before settling back to normal. Ichigo clutched his head, the burning still throbbing through his skull. He stood up shakily his legs having been unused for days on end. Turning around he saw Shirosaki crouched on the ground in what seemed like pain. Grabbing the tattered remains of his shinigami robes Ichigo limped over to his other half and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Shirosaki was trembling, the pain evident in the way he had his eyes screwed tightly shut. He tolerated the gentle hand on his shoulder for only a moment before shrugging it off. Ichigo opened his mouth to speak but before he had time to comfort Shirosaki they were tugged roughly apart by a strong, unseen force. Ichigo felt something slither along his back, toward his neck. The black inky tentacle wrapped around his throat and tightened viciously. Ichigo gasped and clawed desperately at the tentacle that was slowly choking him. Seemingly without effort the thin tentacle lifted Ichigo off his feet and held him high. Shirosaki reached out to Ichigo but was stopped by one of the black tentacles. Another tentacle moved around and grabbed his other hand before both moved together and secured Shirosaki's wrists behind his back.

The strange man with white hair stepped out from behind one of the buildings and moved toward Ichigo and Shirosaki. His arm was still outstretched and his palm seemed to be the source of all the inky tentacles. Blatantly ignoring Ichigo the man walked slowly over to a fuming Shirosaki and gently stroked his cheek.

"Such a beautiful specimen." he purred. Shirosaki ripped his head away and snarled at the man. Ichigo finally managed to free himself from the tentacle around his neck, dropping to the ground he ran towards the two men. More tentacles leapt forward from the outstretched palm and wrapped themselves tightly around Ichigo's wrists and ankles. Locking his wrists and ankles together they forced him to drop to the ground. Ichigo opened his mouth to yell at the stranger but before he managed to get anything out another tentacle flew up and stuffed itself into his mouth, effectively gagging him.

Reaching out his free hand the stranger placed it on Shirosaki's forehead. Immediately he screamed, his body convulsed and trembled. His mouth opened impossibly wide as he screamed. The intense pain searing his body. Glass windows shattered as his cries of pain echoed around the trio. Ichigo twisted desperately trying to get to his other half and help relieve the pain, or stop the man causing it. Shirosaki's skin was covered in a thin sheen of sweat as he gasped for air between bone chilling screams. Tears welled up in his eyes as the pain continued to escalate throughout his body.

Then, right before Ichigo's wide, unblinking eyes they vanished.

Ichigo pulled his consciousness back to reality hoping to find his captor there. Sure enough the man was standing there with Shirosaki standing silently beside him. Ichigo called out to him, pleaded with him, not willing to give up, until he saw his eyes. His eyes were empty, hollow, emotionless. Ichigo realized the person he saw before him was not Shirosaki, his hollow half. This 'thing' before him was merely a shell, a shadow of a former memory. Ichigo felt something in him break. His head slumped down to his chest as the stranger and his white shadow faded into the darkness. He searched his soul, quietly hoping that he would be there, his annoying attitude and creepy laugh. But all Ichigo found was emptiness and shadows. Sliding his eyes closed he resigned himself to the truth. He was gone.

A/N: Umm, well another confusing story...yay...This man with white hair is just a random OC I created to be evil. BAHAHA. I just really like the strange almost D.I.D thing that Ichigo has with Shirosaki. Sooo, I wrote another one!  
this was actually a damn b*tch to get out. I sat there staring at a certain paragraph for 2 days. buuuttt...It's done now. and I shall not waste anymore of your precious time. Reviews are always appreciated.


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